Sinclair buys Tribune Media for $3.9 billion

Mortgages notwithstanding, the ethical imperatives seem pretty clear.

 

Of course. But "mortgages notwithstanding" is impossible to overlook here.

Most will have language built into their contract requiring them to pay thousands of dollars to Sinclair if they quit. They will also be unable to work in the business in the immediate future.

 

They shouldn't have refused, but just make a disclaimer before they read the script:

"Our employer, Sinclair, has instructed us to read this statement ... "

They're not being insubordinate, and if anything, they're telling the truth. If the Sinclair suits feel that strongly about their statement, then they should have no problem owning up to them making their employees read it.

 

Of course.

There's always tension between money and ethics. I'm not sure you have to quit.

But I'm still waiting to hear if even one Sinclair employee simply refused to read it.

 

Every time.

 

I know two people at my friend's station refused to read it, despite great pressure from management.

I suspect their days are numbered.

 

I'd hate for them to be fired outright, but they did the right thing.

Whether firing nullifies the non-compete portion of their contracts I don't know. And depending on the language in those contracts, they might have a reasonable counter-suit.

But I don't think you can read that statement and keep your professional standing intact.

 

The likely outcome is they are fired, Sinclair enforces the non-compete and if they try to get a job in another market Sinclair threatens a lawsuit against the new employer.

 

Those are some egregious contracts.

 

They're terrible. And in many of these cases -- probably a great majority -- these people were already working for the station when Sinclair bought it, so it was a choice of signing the contract or walking away from the job.

 

Contracts like those are a great reminder that even small market shops should unionize.

News & Broadcast | SAG-AFTRA